Video footage of a helicopter crash that killed its CEO pilot and his friend shows the terrifying moment the aircraft spun out of control as it was trying to land.

American Bank of Montana chairman Bruce Erickson, 65, and his friend Wayne Lewis, 60, were killed Wednesday afternoon when the chopper hit the ground and later exploded at McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, California.

A YouTube clip of the incident shows the helicopter hovering above the ground before flipping into the air and landing off-screen with a loud boom.

A YouTube video shows the moments pilot Bruce Allen Erickson, 65, was practicing landing before his helicopter spun out of control at McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, California

The helicopter suddenly loses its level bearings and is seen careening off-screen as the cameraman pulls away from the scene

Erickson had more than 25,000 hours of flight time and was able to fly different airplanes and helicopters, but was practicing landing at the time of the crash.

The helicopter is seen very close to the ground, but then rocks back and forth before pitching forward.

The YouTube cameraman pulls away from the scene as the Airbus AS350 helicopter begins to spin wildly, but the aircraft is later seen spinning in circles on the ground for almost two minutes.

It later went up in flames, and both men aboard died at the scene.

The aircraft crashes on the tarmac and began spinning around repeatedly (left) before

A few minutes after it failed to land the helicopter went up in flames, and both men aboard died

Both Erickson and Lewis, a real estate agent, lived in the area north of San Diego.

American Bank of Montana said in a statement: 'Bruce had a heart of gold with boundless energy, and his devotion toward community banking was unsurmountable.

'As a fantastic leader, he placed utmost importance on his employees and was very generous to all'.

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Erickson (left) and Lewis (right) were both described as flight enthusiasts who will be deeply missed by those who knew them

Previous video released from the crash shows the aircraft going up in smoke after it span for minutes at the airport

Emergency responders rushed to the scene, though both the pilot and his friend died at the scene

Above, emergency workers look at the wreck after the fire was put out with foam. The airport closed but reopened the next day

Lewis's friend Robert Fudge told KSWB that his longtime pal also loved flying.

'As we mourn his loss, we are reminded to value the precious gift of life each and every day. He will be deeply missed by us and the entire real estate community,' Mary Lee Blaylock of his emplyer Berkshire Hathaway Home Services said.

McClellan-Palomar Airport reopened on the afternoon after the deadly crash.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident.